Rest

Please forgive my absence this week. Sometimes, as Wordsworth wrote, “The world is too much with us; late and soon.” I hope to return next week. Until then, let this passage from Maya Angelou’s Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now be enough:

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

Peace to all of you: past, present, future.

9 Comments

  1. Carla Phares on March 24, 2014 at 5:43 pm

    Wow. What a perfect quote. I happened upon your blog today, just such a day.

    • Lee Martin on March 25, 2014 at 11:28 am

      Hi, Carla! I hope you were able to make some time yesterday for a retreat from burden and worry. Thanks for stopping by my blog to leave a comment. Take Care!

  2. Glenda C. Beall on March 26, 2014 at 10:31 pm

    Just today I was speaking with poet, Kathryn Stripling Byer, about the over-powering need sometimes to just get away, leave everything for one day. She feels it, I feel it and I think we all feel that need at times to just take off and have a day for us. We come back to the real world much renewed, I think. Thanks for this quote.

    • Lee Martin on March 27, 2014 at 3:18 pm

      Glenda, it’s always seemed to me that a writer moves out into the world and then retreats before venturing out again. At least, that’s how this writer works. That retreat is so important to me. Thanks for your comment.

  3. Robert Sykes on March 28, 2014 at 11:17 am

    Withdrawal does not mean retreating from these challenging times.In fact, if our intentions are positive we can begin to view some of entanglements caused by our conditioning and karma.This can be very liberating and provides fertile potential for our writing practice.

    • Lee Martin on March 28, 2014 at 12:51 pm

      Well-said, Robert. Thanks!

  4. Mary-Ann Barton on April 20, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    Mmm, wise words. I’m writing a book called Rest, and just happened upon your blog today, so I take this as a blessing. Thank you.

  5. Melissa Cronin on April 24, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    Thanks for sharing this, Lee. It helps me feel better about taking a day to rest on the couch, reading a book, and napping.

    • Lee Martin on April 28, 2014 at 8:20 pm

      You bet, Melissa. I hope you had a good day of rest.

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